Unconditional Love
by oconnellsmummygirl
Summary: When Rick and Evie have problems in their relationship, what will it take to get them back together?
1. Default Chapter

Author: O'connells_mummy_girl   
  
Contact: sweetcake904@yahoo.com  
  
Notes: Alright, I don't own any characters from The Mummy (obviously). I'm going to need your help with this one! I need ideas on what's going to happen next! If you have any great ideas, just post them as a review and see if they make it into the story!  
  
Summary: This story takes place a couple months after the events of The Mummy. Evie is still working at the muesum, and Rick and Jonathan are... just being Rick and Jonathan.  
  
  
Unconditional Love  
  
Ciaro, Egypt 1926  
  
Perched behind her desk, Evelyn Carnahan looked around her office. Books and paper work scatered everywhere, she felt overwhelmed.   
  
Evelyn jumped as there was a loud knock on the door. "Come in!" she called, composing herself agian.  
  
Rick peeked his head in. The same goofy grin on his face that always seemed to be there,"Are you busy?"  
  
Evelyn smiled when she saw him. Feeling a big weight lifted from her shoulders. O'connell could always be counted on to help her relax a bit. "Yes, pretty busy. What are you doing here?"  
  
He glanced at his watch then looked back at her,"Lunch date, remember?" he raised an eyebrow,"Eleven thirty."  
  
She hid her face in her arms which were folded on the desk. Then quickly looked back up at him,"I'm sorry, Rick..."  
  
The smile on his face suddenly disapeard,"Can't... agian." Rick sighed heavily,"Alright. Well... how about dinner? If you're home by then, that is."  
  
Evelyn gave him a guilty look,"Dinner sounds great."  
  
"Good." he walked over and gave her a quick kiss. "See you when you get home then. Bye."  
  
"Bye, sweety."   
  
Rick took his time heading back to the car. The second date this week she had not been able to make it to. The seventh this month. The fourth time he was planning to ask her to marry him durring. He shoved his hand in his pocket, fingers brushing agianst the small, velvet ring case. Rick knew Evelyn loved her job, and would never ask her to quit. But he also thought she loved him. Half of the time she was just heading off to the muesum as he woke up and coming home after he had eaten and was practically ready for bed. Almost never being able to see eachother was starting to make him a little peeved. He wasen't sure how much more he would take.  
  
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Evelyn made her way through the house, looking for Rick and finding him on the back porch, just staring out over the city. "Hey, am I to late for dinner, O'connell?"  
  
Rick was startled by her sudden presence, but got ahold of himself quickly and turned to face her,"Not at all." he put his arm out and she walked over to him, sliping her arms around his waist as he wraped her in his own warm embrace.  
  
"Rick, I really am sorry about today." she rested her head on his shoulder,"Things at the museum just get really busy. I never ment to ignore you."  
  
Rick diden't say anything, he just enjoyed holding her. He had never been good with words. Why spoil it? He'd just say the wrong thing if he opened his mouth. That he was sure of. Somewhere deep inside him, though, something was telling him that this exact thing had been happening way to much.  
  
"So how about we go to dinner now?" she gave him a reasuring squeeze before looking up at him,"I'll even pay."  
  
"I have a better idea." he grinned down at her,"What do you say to a romantic dinner right here? Just the two of us?"  
  
"What if Jonathan comes home?"  
  
"He never comes home before ten. Plus, by the time he gets here he's so drunk he just stumbles up to his room and passes out."  
  
Evelyn giggled,"Alright, a romantic dinner here seems wonderful." She let go of him and grabed his hand and lead him into the house.  
  
The couple had a fun (and disasterous) time cooking together. Rick stood behind Evelyn and looked around the kitchen. It was a complete mess. Flour and who knows what else layed in a think layed of most of the counter. Pots and pans scattered all over and overflowing the sink.  
  
He let out a loud laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?" Evelyn looked back at him.  
  
"Look at this place!"  
  
She turned around. A shocked expression on her face,"Did we do all this?"  
  
"I belive so." Rick told her, using his thumb to brush a bit of flour off her chin. He studied her beautiful face for a minuet. Those big brown eyes that he had gotten lost in the second he saw her for the first time. That golden smile. Those lucious lips... he leaned in and kissed her tenderly for a second then pulled back before he lost control of himself. "Uh, let's eat?" he suggested.  
  
"Let's." Evelyn choked out. He knees were a bit weak from the kiss and she wasen't so sure she could walk on her own. He arms stayed around his neck and she stayed in her place.  
  
"Umm, honey. I think this incudles moving." Rick pointed out.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, I do belive you're right." she back up a bit, a sheepish grin on her face. Evelyn just turned around and started to take things into the dinning room.  
  
Rick followed after finding a box of matches in a drawer. He walked out and located a couple candels and placed them in the middle of the table.   
  
When Evelyn came out with the last of the food she smiled,"Aww."   
  
He chuckled,"You can't have romance without candel or moonlight. And seeing as we don't have moonlight yet we'll have to do with candels."  
  
She walked over and let him pull out her chair for her. "Thank you sir." she teased.  
  
"M'lady." Rick pushed the chair in then took a seat himself. "I hope this tastes good because if it dosen't then we ruined the kitchen for nothing."  
  
"I woulden't say nothing... We had a great time diden't we?"  
  
"Yes we did. I guess it wasen't nothing at all." he took her hand in his,"You know, I'm enjoying having you all to myself right now."  
  
"I'm enjoying it too, Rick." Almost before she finished her sentance, the phone rang.  
  
Rick groaned loudly. Seeing the torn look on Evelyns face he let her hand go,"Go ahead an answer."  
  
Evelyn stood up and dashed for the phone.  
  
Rick could hear her whole conversation from the other room.  
  
"What?!... Oh my god... are you sure?... alright, thank you... yes, I'll be right in."  
  
By then Rick had figured out it was the curator. When he heard she'd 'Be right in' he simply stood up and went to his room. Make that three times this week, eight times this months, and five failed trys at proposing.  
  
"Rick." Evelyn called as she walked back to where he had been just seconds ago,"Rick?" she felt a titlewave of guilt wash over her. Knowing that he was mad, she blew out the candels and left a note telling him someone had broken into the museum and stolen some artifacts and that she should be home in a few hours.  
  
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It was about eleven by the time Evelyn made it back. Her who body was throbbing with pain and sleepyness, her head was the worst, it was screaming at her to take a break. She slid out of her shoes and softly made her way up the stairs and glanced in Jonathans room to see him out cold on the bed. She next walked to Ricks room. He was standing infront of the window. The look on his face told her he had been thinking overtime and was trying to hold back tears at the moment.  
  
"Evelyn." he said her name as if it hurt him. Maybe it did.  
  
"Yes, Rick?"  
  
"Have you ever had to do something that you knew you had to do, but would give absoluetly anything to not have to?"  
  
She leaned, exausted, agianst the door frame,"Rick, darling, can this wait until the morning? Right now I just want to sleep."  
  
"No, Evelyn..." he paused and turned to her,"By morning, I'm going to be gone."  
  
Rick's words hit her like a ton of bricks. He wasen't accualy going to leave her? She knew she shoulden't have answered that call. She felt short of breath and barely made it to the bed before she colapsed.   
  
He squated down infront of her. "Evelyn, I don't want to do this, but I have to... It woulden't be fair to either of us if I stayed."  
  
She locked eyes with him, knowing that no matter what she said, he was going to go. She had already hurt him enough. "Rick..."  
  
Rick held up a hand to stop her,"You have my devotion, my love... and my attention, Evie. I may have your love but the rest of it you put into your job. I know that you love me. And I love you too, but I also know that you aren't ready to love me. Maybe I was wrong to think you were. My whole life, I haven't been serious about anything. My only love was adventure. Then I met you. And you were like this angel sent to rescue me from everything that I got myself into. Then I knew what living felt like. Then I was finally serious about something."  
  
"I'm serious too, Rick. I'm just... just..." Evelyn diden't know how to explain what she was going through,"Scared. I'm scared because I've never felt this way about anyone, or anything. Work is just a way to keep me focused on something besides the fear."  
  
"Exactly, Evelyn. I'm what you fear, which meens your work keeps you focused on something besides me. I'm scared too, but I can atleast try to handel these things." he stood up,"And we need to call it quits until you can handel your fear." he reached into his pocket and grabed the little box, placing it gently in her hand,"For the past month I've been carrying that around, waiting until you have a free second for me when I could ask you to make me the happiest man alive and say you'd marry me. It was dumb of me to think you could put your life aside." Rick felt the tears pricking his eyes, but he made himself be strong and hold them in.  
  
"No, it wasen't dumb of you. It was dumb of me to put you aside." she had let a few tears escape,"Please don't leave me... please... don't leave."  
  
Rick shook his head, turning his gaze to the floor,"I have to leave Evelyn. Because I love you. I have to go." he grabed the bag he had stuffed a few clothes in and turned his back. Walking out of the door. It took all the strength he had in him not to turn around and take her into his arms as he heard Evelyn break down into hysterical sobs...  
  
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	2. Part Two

  
  
Two weeks later  
  
Hamanaptra  
  
Kaleb Henderson dismounted his horse and droped down into the passage him and Nicholas Tompson had cleared,"Hey, Tompson!" he yelled, lighting a tourch and looking around for any sign of Nicholas.  
  
"Did you get the box, Henderson?" Nicholas, asked, appearing across the room.  
  
Kaleb pulled the little puzzle box he had stolen from the muesum out of his pocket,"Sure as hell. Almost got caught. This better be worth it, Tompson."  
  
"Oh it will be." Nicholas took the box from his partner,"It will be."  
  
"Did you find that damned book yet?"  
  
"Sure did, it's up in my tent." Nicholas lead Kaleb up out of the large, dark, underground chamber. One of the two rooms in Hamanaptra that haden't totaly been sunken under the sand. He hurried to his tent. Artifacts, clothes, and books were all over the ground and stacked probably a foot high on his cot.   
  
"Shit, Tompson, you're livin like a pig!"   
  
"Shut the hell up!" Nicholas spat.  
  
Kaleb glared at him,"Let's get the show on the road already!"  
  
Nicholas grabed a backpack that was laying on the floor. Unzipping it, he dug through a few things, tossing even more junk onto his cot. He pulled out a huge black book. "The Book of the Dead." Nicholas grinned an almost evil grin,"Time to get us our prize." He grabed the puzzle box, opening it up into a star shape and matched it up one of the symbols on the book front. He turned the key and they bolth leaned forward as they heard the loud click of the lock giving way...  
  
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Jonathan hurried through the mueum, in search of Evelyn. He found her in the library, completely obsorbed in a book. "Morning old mum."  
  
Evelyn forced a smile,"Good morning Jonathan."  
  
He went over to her and put an arm around her,"How are you doing today, Evie?"  
  
"I'm fine. I'm fine." she stood up to put the book back on the shelf,"Just fine."  
  
Jonathan knew better. She hed spent the whole first day O'connell was gone crying. Evelyn didn't even go to work for a couple days, then she threw herself into it more violently then ever. She spent every waking hour at the mueum, and sometimes she'd fall asleep in her office. She had totaly cut herself off from anything in the world that didn't have to do with her job. Jonathan was truthfuly, incredably scared for her. He loved her. She was all he had left after their parents died. He was so scared he haden't even had a drink in the past two weeks.  
  
"Jonathan, don't worry about me." Evelyn told him,"It's okay."  
  
He smiled at her,"It's my job to worry, Evie. I'm your big brother. I have to worry." he decided agianst teling her he knew what she was feeling. She would just deny it and be mad at him. "I'm going to the bar. I'll be home early. Maybe we can eat togehter?" Jonathan suggested, hoping to get her somewhere besides here.  
  
"Possibly." Evelyn gave him a weak smile,"Bye."  
  
"Bye, old mum."  
  
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Jonathan skimed the crowd, trying to decide if he wanted to play poker now or save it for later. He spoted a depressed figure hunched over at the bar and made his way to sit by it. "Hey, O'connell. Long time no see."  
  
Rick turned his attention to Jonathan then back to his drink,"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
"You look like hell, old boy."   
  
"Words of encoragement huh?" Rick raised an eyebrow,"Well, I fell like it, why not look like it too?"  
  
"Where have you been over these weeks?"  
  
"Hotel down the street."  
  
"Are you planning to spend the rest of your life there?"  
  
"No. I'm going back to America. Figure I could use a trip home. May even stay." Rick shugged,"Who knows?"  
  
"A-America?"  
  
"Why not? I don't have anything here worth staying for."  
  
"She isnt worth staying for?" Jonathan tryed to sound casual with that question.  
  
Rick turned to Jonathan for a little while then took a big swig out of the bottle he was holding, and set it back down empty. "I didn't say that."  
  
Jonathan just gave up on that idea,"So when are you going to back to America?"  
  
"Two weeks. It'll give me sometime to say goodbye to the city. Can't find adventure in Chicago like you can here."  
  
Jonathan snorted,"Yeah, there arent many mummies in Chicago are there?"  
  
"Not at all. Thank the lord. I've had my share of mummies for a lifetime or two."  
  
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	3. Part Three

  
  
  
Four Weeks Later  
  
Rick took a last look around Cairo. Two weeks ago, he coulden't bring himself to leave. It took these extra days to convince himself to go. He would miss this place. The adventuer, the mystery, but most of all, Evelyn. God, he didn't want to leave. He didn't think he had another choice. Rick knew he was going crazy without her. It had been a month since he had seen her. Had it only been a month? It felt like an eternity. He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts of the British beauty out of his mind. He took a deep breath and walked forward, ready to board the boat that was to take him to America... home. Funny how he wasen't happy about going home.  
  
He stoped when someone put their hand on his shoulder. Rick spun to see Jonathan.  
  
"Thank... god...... I caught... you." Jonathan gasped, completely out of breath from running for about an hour trying to get to O'connell before he left.  
  
"Jonathan. Something wrong?"  
  
"Evie... Evelyn..." he still was breathing to heavily to get it out.  
  
"What about Evelyn? Is she okay?" Rick felt panic over take him.  
  
"O'connell... Rick. You can't leave." Jonathan looked up at him,"No... she's not okay. Yes, she acts like it, Rick. But she isnt. I know she isnt. Without you, Evie's falling appart. I know you are too! We all know how much you meen to eachother."  
  
Rick was shocked Jonathan had this in him. He usally hated that "yucky, mushy, love stuff". Rick looked away,"If this is all this is about, then good bye, Jonathan." He turned to walk up the ramp.  
  
"Bloody hell, O'connell! You can't honestly leave her!"  
  
"What if I can?" Rick yelled over his shoulder.  
  
"What about love, O'connell?"  
  
"Love just leads to heartache, partner, you were right, who needs is?"  
  
"Evelyn dose! And you do too!" Jonathan saw Rick was just going to keep going,"And I thought you were a man! You're really just a coward." Jonathan turned on his heal and started to push his way back through the crowds of people.  
  
Rick burned under what he had just heard. How could Jonathan tell him he was a coward? How could Jonathan possibly know what he was going through? What he was suffering? Rick knew that he was right, though, wether he would ever admit it or not... he knew he was a coward.  
  
He made his way up the plank, onto the boat. He headed for the front and ploped his bag down at his feet. Home... suddenly home didn't mean happiness. Home meant lonelyness.  
  
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Jonathan felt like exploding. Rick was accualy leaving Evelyn. He really had thought more of the American. If he had known this was going to happen, he would never had let Evelyn fall in love with O'connell. He knew there woulden't have been a way to stop her, though.  
  
Suddenly there were shrill screams coming from every direction. People started to run. Some coming off of the boat O'connell was on. Jonathan turned his attention to what it was people were making such a commotion about. The water... blood... His mind automatically told him his worst fear... Imhotep was back.  
  
It was Jonathans turn to scream when a big, strong hand clamped down on his arm.   
  
"Woah, it's just me!" Rick told him.  
  
"You gave me a bloody heart attack!"  
  
Rick barely even heard him,"We have to get to Evelyn. NOW!"  
  
"Right." Jonathan felt himself tugged around panicing groups of people by Rick, who still had the firm grasp on his arm.  
  
At the speed they were running at, it took a surprisingly short time to make it to the house. Rick busted through the front door, Jonathan close behind.  
  
"Evie!" Jonathan yelled. "Let her be here! Let her be here!" he said under his breath.  
  
"Jonathan? What are you doing home?" Came her voice from the other room, before she appered.  
  
Rick felt his heart stop at the sight of her. Just as beautiful as ever. Not that he had ever expected anything different. It was obvious, though, that something had been weighing heavily on her heart.  
  
Evelyn froze as she saw Rick. Suddenly she was short of breath, and just seeing him made her want to cry agian. She had had enough crying over the past month, and she certianly wasen't going to infront of O'connell. She quickly went back into the room she came from.  
  
Jonathan gave Rick an apologetic smile,"I'll go talk to her." he hurried after his sister. "Evie..."  
  
"What is HE doing here?" Evelyn started to pace,"Right when I was starting to think I just might be okay... I just might live... he showed up."  
  
"He's here for a reason, old mum."  
  
"Would you just tell me why already?!"  
  
"Well, ummm, please try not to freak out to much..." Jonathan paused,"Imhotep, Imhotep's back."  
  
Evelyn fell back into a chair,"Did, did, did I hear you right?"  
  
"Afraid so..."  
  
"So... so..." Evelyn coulden't hold back all the tears and a few had escaped,"We have to go back to Hamanaptra?"  
  
Jonathan nodded and went over to her, grabing her hand,"Yeah, I guess we have to."  
  
Evelyn put her face his her hands, taking a deep breath to calm down so she could face Rick. "Alright." she took another deep breath,"God how could this be happening agian?!"  
  
"Come on Evie, let's just get packed."  
  
She stood up and nervously started up to her room. When she passed through the living room she noticed Rick sitting there. Bolth of them tryed not to look at each other, or atleast let the other know they were looking at each other.  
  
Evelyn ran up the stairs and into her room, she through a few things into a bag. Something at the bottom of a drawer caught her eye. She moved a blouse out of the way and instantly reconized it. The ring box Rick had shoved into her hand before he left. She realized that over the month, she had been so upset, she haden't even looked at at ring. Evelyn fliped the top up. The heart shaped saphire, and little diamonds on either side of it, placed in a solid silver setting glistened in the sunlight that came through the window.  
  
"You ready?" Evelyn jumped as Rick asked her the question.  
  
She quickly shut the box and slid it into her bag, hoping he haden't seen it,"Uh." she grabed the bag and went back downstairs.  
  
"Thanks for clearing that up for me." he muttered, following her down to Jonathan.  
  
"Let's go." Evelyn said softly.  
  
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	4. Part Four

  
  
It really didn't surprise Rick that over the past few days, Evelyn haden't said more than four words to him. None of them put kindly. He woulden't lie to himself, he haden't expected anything different, and he didn't blame her either.  
  
Jonathan had to admit that the icy silence that was always between the two was very different, and very annoying. He tryed making the mood more friendly by cracking jokes, but he would just get glared at. Joanthan knew he had to do something to get those two back together.  
  
"I'm guessing it's another day til we get there." Rick broke the silence,"I'm surprised" and a little worried, not that he would say it,"that we haven't seen any sign of him since the Nile turned to blood..."  
  
"We know he's out there." Evelyn said.  
  
"Well that's nine." Rick told himself.  
  
"Huh?" Evelyn glanced over at him.  
  
"Nothing." Rick grinned. She seemed to be warming up a bit...  
  
"He told you that was nine." Jonathan butted in,"Nine words you've said to him in the last few days."  
  
Rick shot Jonathan an evil look.  
  
"You've been counting?" Evelyn smirked.  
  
Rick ingored her,"I think we should get some sleep. A few hours of rest might be a good idea." he informed.  
  
"Sounds dandy." Jonathan smiled.  
  
"Dandy?" Rick chuckled, then stoped his camel, climbing down and grabing his bag. He gave the order for his camel to lay down as the others did the same.  
  
They pitched tents then ate dinner and sat around the fire for a little while.  
  
"I'm heading for bed." Jonathan excused himself as he stood up and ducked into his tent.  
  
Evelyn and Rick watched him go then bolth looked into the fire, feeling very stragne in this position.  
  
"I could use some sleep to." Evelyn got to her feet,"Good night, Mr.O'connell."  
  
"Evie, just stop with the bullshit." Rick moaned.  
  
Evelyn was surprised he would talk to her like that,"What?"  
  
"Damn it, Evelyn! Just stop calling me Mr. O'connell. Stop pretending that what happened between us didn't happen. All three of us know exactly what's going on, you arent leaving anyone in the dark!"  
  
"Well, god, Rick! I'm sorry, but what do you want me to do about it, huh?! Break down and cry agian? Personally I've had enough crying for a lifetime just durring this past month and I'm sick of using tears on something that crying isnt going to help. You can't leave me without even talking about what was happening and then expect me to waste my whole life being sorry for myself and wishing you would come back!!!"  
  
"That's not what I want and that's not what I'm asking." Rick got to his feet,"I just wanted you to get your priorities straight before you wandered into something that you weren't ready for. You know damn well that you could have called me or came to me and told me that you were willing to work things out and that I would have without even taking time to think about it."  
  
"Yes, and then I would be the weak one, right Rick?" Evelyn felt the all to familiar sting of tears trying to over take her again,"That way you could leave me anytime you felt like it and know that I would come crawling to you asking to be let back into you life! Well I don't think so! If anyone is going to do the crawling it's you! You're the one who left me. You're the one who said you'd always love me."  
  
"I never said I stoped."  
  
"Don't do this, Rick. Don't tell me you love me. I frankly do not want to hear it. Wether it's true or not, my heart is shatered into enough peices right now as it is. So unless you're planning on asking me to take you back, do not say it! Bolth of us know that neither of us are going to ask to work this out and neither of us are going to come crawling back to the other."  
  
Rick stared at her, wishing he could make himself ask her for another chance. His mind and heart screamed for him to do it, but, being Rick O'connell, his pride took over and controlled his bodies movements, and any words that were to come out of his mouth. "I suppose so." he hung his head sadly.  
  
They bolth felt any hope that they happened to have slip away. Still unshead tears burned in their eyes.  
  
Evelyn nodded,"Good night, Rick." she slid into her tent.   
  
Rick slowly went into his own. This wasen't the way things are supposed to be. The kight in shinning armor and the damsel in distress are supposed to get married, and have thirty children, and be HAPPY after they ride into the sunset together. Rick coulden't help but ask himself... what ever did happen to happily ever after?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Part Five

Next Day  
  
Rick lit the second torch off of his own and handed it to Evelyn. Even with bolth torches there was barely any light. The tunnels that Hamanaptra consisted of had always been like that. The dark always seemed to be stronger than the light.  
  
"This is getting very creepy." Jonathan broke the silence that had been there for the past half an hour.   
  
They had reached the city that morning. The only sign of Imhotep so far was that the city was raised agian. Everything was exactly like it was before Beni had fliped the switch. Every last pillar and old building was standing in that same place. The tunnels were cleared out, making it easy to get anywhere.  
  
"It's way to quiet." Rick squitned, trying to see if he could see any further than the torch was lighting. "No scarabs, no Med-Jai, no mummies. Absoluetly nothing..."  
  
"Let's just get to the room with the altar, Rick." Evelyn told him.  
  
"Evie, what if this is a trap?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know why I didn't see this before... this is a trap!" Rick turned to look at the others,"You'd think it would be obvious. We've seen two signs of this guy. He knows that we know he's been awakened and by not showing himself he's luring us here! How did we not see it?!"  
  
Evelyn looked up at Rick, letting everything he had just said sink in. He was probably right. It made sence that this would have been set up all along, that Imhotep was up to something. "Then it wouldn't matter now, would it?"  
  
"Huh?" bolth Jonathan and Rick looked at her, confused.  
  
"It wouldn't matter, because we're here, and unless we keep going we're never going to get rid of him. He's going to find us anyway, and atleast now we'll be prepared to fight. Atleast now we're together and not on seprate continents."  
  
Rick sighed,"She's right you know."  
  
"Of course she's right." Jonathan glanced over at his sister,"When is she not."  
  
Evelyn ignored Jonathan,"So are we going to go or not?"  
  
"Well, I'v never said no to an adventure yet, I'm not about to start now." Rick looked at Jonathan,"You are coming aren't you?"  
  
"Why of course! Evie is my babysister, after all."  
  
"Alright then." Rick nodded, taking a deep breath,"Let's go."  
  
Evelyn and Jonathan followed the American further into the still all to unfamiliar territory. It took about another thirty minuets to get to their destination. Everything was just as quiet there as it was everywhere else.  
  
Rick lead them down to the altar that Evelyn had been chained down to. It seemed like just yesterday, now. She unconciously had a firm grasp on Ricks arm as they made their way down the long, stone staircase.   
  
Jonathan was trying to walk as slowly as possible without being to far away from the other two. It wasn't working very well, he observed as he jogged to get back to Evie's side. Jonathan kept glancing behind him, half expecting Imhotep to be there, sneaking up on him. Even though he knew that Imhotep was going to make a much grander entrance. Didn't he always?   
  
"So, this is a trap, where's the huge rocks blocking the exits, and the mummies and scarabs?" Jonathan questioned, raising his eyebrows at O'connell.  
  
Rick's jaw tightened and he gave Jonathan a look that told him to shut up, as Evelyn squeezed his arm harder, making it known that her brother was causing her to be even more nervous then she was before.   
  
"Well then, what now?" Jonathan changed the subject before he got his ass kicked,"We just wait around until the dead guy shows up?"  
  
"That's about it." Evelyn told him, letting go of Rick and steping away to look around a bit.  
  
"Evie, stay close." Rick warned.  
  
"You don't own me." she snaped at him, and walked further away just to make him mad.  
  
"Evelyn, I'm serious, I don't want you getting hurt. Or taken away by mummies, or something like that. You know it's bound to happen."  
  
She waved him off, walking over behind a pillar. She never had got a chance to explore this room, maybe she'd find something interesting. Evelyn knew that Rick was probably right and that she shouldn't go wandering off, but the librarian in her told her that this was a chance she shouldn't miss.  
  
A strong hand clamped down on her shoulder, then another over her mouth before she could scream for help. She felt warm breath on the back of her neck as her captor leaned in close to her. Evelyn knew it was Imhotep, even before he stared wispering in her ear.  
  
"I've been expecting you." Imhotep told her quietly in ancient Egyptian. He smiled that evil, pleased smile as he saw the look of terror on the womans face. "He was right. You shouldn't go running off." he wispered to her.  
  
Evelyn struggled in the grasp of her enemy, even though she knew there was no way it was going to do any good. She wished Rick was with her, she wished she hadn't been so stubborn and had listened to him, stayed by his side.  
  
Rick looked over at the pillar Evelyn had disapeard behind. Worry creased his brow, he hadn't so much as heard a sound in about five minuets. "Evelyn? Everything alright?"  
  
Jonathan looked over at O'connell, who returned the nervous glance. There wasn't an answer from Evelyn. Jonathan felt a pit in his stomache. "Evie? Have you found anything?"  
  
She heard them calling her and wanted to answer so badly. Imhotep held her still and she wondered what he was planning on doing with her. Evelyn still fought agianst the strength of the man, well sort of man, that held her. His arms were like steel bars. It hurt her hands to hit his chest and he just smiled at her, wickedly.   
  
Rick yanked out a gun. He knew it wouldn't do any good if who he thought was keeping Evelyn company accualy was, but it made him feel safer. Plus, it was better then bare hands to fight with. Undead or not. Rick tossed Jonathan a gun. All the man had was a pistol, that wouldn't do much good at all.  
  
Standing tall, Jonathan followed Rick, gun poised for action. "Oh Evie!" he called out, voice shaking, making it obvious how nervous he was.  
  
  
When there still wasn't an answer, Rick looked back,"You ready?"   
  
"Ready as I'll ever be." Jonathan admited.  
  
Rick nodded and hurried over to the pillar, pointing his guns straight ahead of him.   
  
Nothing.   
  
There wasn't anyone there. Not even a sign of anyone being there in the past three thousand years.   
  
He spun back around and his arms fell to his sides. "She's not there."  
  
"What are you talking about? She's not there."  
  
"Just what I said! Evelyn is not there!"   
  
Jonathan just went over and had a look for himself. "Evie isn't there." he told himself.  
  
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note: alright, i know this part was short and it took FOREVER. But I have a major writers block. I'll be working on the last two chapters like crazy. PLEASE, if you have any ideas of what to do next, E-mail them to me. or write them in a review!!!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Part Six

  
Evelyn slowly opened her eyes. Her head hurt like hell and she felt dizzy as she tryed to stand. She looked around the unfimilair room. It wasn't very big at all, and it was totaly empty. Absoluetly nothing was there. Evelyn looked up, aware that that was where the only light was coming from. There was a a hole with thick metal bars across it. She loked closer and saw a familiar sign. The puzzle box would fit in it. That must have been how Imhotep got her in here. It was obvious that it was the only way in or out.  
  
Suddenly, Evelyn was aware of someone else behind her. She spun quickly and saw a huddled down figure in the corner. Evelyn reconized the man right away. "Ardeth?"  
  
Ardeth Bay looked up groggily. He didn't want Evelyn to see him like this. In this weakened condition. He looked away, the pain of his wounds overpowering him.  
  
"My god. Are you all right?" Evelyn moved hastily forward when she noticed that he was injured.   
  
"I will be fine, my friend." he told her, trying to sound strong,"I was not as unfortunate as those two." he gestured towards another corner.  
  
Evelyn just barely held back a scream as she saw two dried out bodies laying next to each other. "The people who woke him up, I take it."  
  
"I belive so."  
  
After she was able to think agian, Evelyn noticed that one of the bodies had a bag tucked under his arm. She turned her attention back to Ardeth and looked over his wounds silently. He was bleeding pretty badly. He looked like he had put up quite a fight before being tossed down here himself by Imhotep.   
  
Evelyn stood up on sore legs and went over and grabed the bag.  
  
"What are you doing, Evelyn?" Ardeth questioned.  
  
"Seeing if they have any bandages. You might bleed to death before we can get out of here." she explained as she opened the bag and started to dig through it. Her fingers hit something hard and smooth at the bottom of the bag. Evelyn pulled it out quickly and a smile imideately made its way across her face.  
  
Ardeth almost laughed out of joy at seeing the puzzle box that Evelyn was holing in her hand. "Thank Allah." he aid under his breath.  
  
Evelyn looked up at the hole. It was probably eight feet up. It was going to take the height of bolth of them to get up there. "I know you're hurt, but I need you to lift me up so I can reach the lock..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Damn it Jonathan! You aren't helping!" Rick almost yelled. They had to come up with a plan to find Evelyn and all Jonathan could do was panic. He waved his hand infront of the Jonathan face as he seemed paralized, just staring past Rick at something. "Yoo Hoo. wake up!"  
  
"Behind--" Jonathan was cut mid warning to O'connell as Imhotep grabed him and through him over Jonathans head into one of the walls.  
  
Rick was slow to get up,"Thanks for the warning, Jonathan." he groaned and scrambled to his gun which had landed about six feet away.  
  
By the time Rick had gotten to the gun, Imhotep had turned into his usual cloud of sand then all together vanished.  
  
"What the bloody hell was that about?!" Jonathan yelled.  
  
"How in hell am I supposed to know?"  
  
Imhotep appeared agian, the book of Amun-Ra was tuck in his arms. He walked painstakingly slowly to a stone that he set the book on. Imhotep put his hand inside his robe, searching for the key. It wasn't there. He knew that he had had it. Was it possible that one of the men who had woken his up stole it back before he killed them? Imhotep let out an aggravated growl then began reading the inscription on the front of the book. He would have to settle for the mummy warriors this time.   
  
All three of them watched at the corpses Rick had slaughtered a few months ago pulled themselves back together. They began advancing on Rick and Jonathan and Imhotep moved to the altar to watch two of his killers suffer through the same thing they had put him through.  
  
Rick and Jonathan were backing up as rapidly as the mummy worriors were coming forwards. Even though they were a bit busy, they bolth notcied Evelyn and Ardeth sneak into the room quietly. Luckily, all of the mummies were to fixated on Rick and Jonathan to notice.  
  
O'connell looked over at Jonathan he indicated with his eyes for Jonathan to run and help Evelyn while he kept the enemies attention. Rick saw an entryway not to far away and sprung for it. With the warriors hot on his tail, it didn't take Rick long to decide that this time, he may not win this fight...  
  
Jonathan hurried for his sister. He hugged her quickly then saw that Imhotep was heading for them. Glancing around for something, *anything* to stall the bastard, he noticed the sword O'connell had used last time laying on the floor. Jonathan grabed it up and held it like a baseball bat, waiting to strike when he needed to. "Run Evie, get the book and read!" he commanded.  
  
Evelyn did as her brother said. Ardeth joined her side with the book in hand. "I'll gain controll of the warriors first." she told them. Evelyn began reading the inscription as Jonathan fought Imhotep best he could. It was working better then they thought it would. She had to move out of the way a few times. It took about ten minuets before she was finished.  
  
Only until they had filled the room back up did Imhotep notice that his army was under Evelyns command. He glared up at her with pure hatred before grabing Jonathan and tossing his effortlessly into a pillar. He started towards the woman to stop her before she stoped him.  
  
"Jonathan!" Evelyn yelled,"Help!!"   
  
Ardeth spoted Rick's weapon bag and ran like crazy for it. He found a long knife and went back to help Evelyn.   
  
Jonathan finally was able to get onto his feet agian as before Imhotep knew he was there he ran up and sank the sword into his back. He knew it wasn't going to kill him, but hey, it would by some time for Evie.   
  
Sure enough, the creatuer spun around and went after Jonathan.  
  
Evelyn made a mad break to get as far away from them as possible. Ardeth held the book as she unlocked it and opened it up. After a little searching she found the page. Ardeth had told her that if she read the line after what she had read, it would make sure Imhotep never came back. She remembered what she had said the first time, but adding the other stuff was deffinately a good choice. She found the incantation and felt relife was over her. She summoned a big breath and loudly read out loud,"Kadeesh  
mal kadeesh mal pared oos pared oos! Anak mal pared oos!"  
  
Imhotep looked at her in horror, not beliving he had been distraced enough to let this happen agian. As the chariot raced down the stairs it ran trough every mummy. Every one of them crumbled into a pile of dust except for the leader.   
  
Jonathan sunk the sword that he still held into the mans back.   
  
He turned, the sword still in him, and was about to say something, but collapsed on his last breath.  
  
Everyone in the room had never felt more relived in their lives. It was over. It was finally over.  
  
Suddenly Evelyn tensed up agian. "Where's Rick?!"   
  
"Last I saw him, he was just leaving." Jonathan informed, out of breath, he pointed toward where Rick was last seen.  
  
Evelyn raced as fast as her tired legs would carry her down the long coridor, bolth men right behind her. They almost ran into her as the suddenly stoped, breath catching in her throat at the sight of Rick laying on his back, bleeding heavily from his side. She hurried foreward to him, taking his hand gently as she leaned over him,"Rick?"  
  
"Evie." he half smiled up at her. He was pretty out of it and it was hard to even think let alone speak. "Evie, the other night... I should have... I should have crawled." he told her, almost out of air.  
  
Only she knew what he was talking about and it broke her heart. "No, Rick. You'll be fine. You'll be okay. We just need to get you fixed up."  
  
"Evelyn," he choked out,"You aren't.... going to make it to a hospital in time."   
  
"Rick. You are *not* going to die on me!"   
  
He looked up at her and wanted so badly to kiss her agian. They locked eyes and in just that moment they told each other everything. He gave her another weak smile before blacking out from the pain...  
  
  
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note: alright, I know it's bad, but fight scenes are just something I'm not good at writing. So forgive me, I tryed. Just give me a day or two to get the last chapter up.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Part Seven

Next Day  
  
When Rick woke up he was imediately reminded of the stab wound in his side, and all the other bumps, brusies, and cuts he had aquired over the past day or two. He took his time opening his eyes and found himself staring up at a canvas tent top. Even his eyes hurt, like every other part of his body. The bandages that were wraped around his injuries were so tight it was almost hard to breathe, but it was better then not breathing at all.   
  
He slowly turned his head to take in his surroundings, wondering just where he was. Rick smiled when he saw Jonathan sitting on the edge of a cot next to his own, watching over a sleeping Evelyn.  
  
"Hey, Jonathan." Rick managed to choke out.  
  
Jonathan jumped a bit, startled by the sudden sound of O'connell's voice. He turned and looked down at the man laying on the cot, looking like he was in lots of pain,"O'connell! You're up. Boy will Evie be happy to see you. You should be ashamed of yourself, worrying my baby sister like that. She cryed her eyes out for a day until she finally fell asleep." Jonathan tryed to tease.  
  
"I am, Jonathan... I am."  
  
"Oh now, Rick, I didn't meen it. How are you feeling old chap?"  
  
"Like shit." Rick groaned.  
  
"Bad luck."Jonathan shook his head then leaned over to wake Evelyn up.  
Rick stoped him,"No, don't wake her, she needs sleep."  
  
"Ah, Evie'll have my head if I don't wake her up to tell her that you're up." he reached out a hand and shook Evie gently,"Wake up, old mum."  
  
Evelyn moaned quietly and mummbled something about letting people sleep in peace before opening her eyes and looking up at her brother. "What do you want?" Evelyn asked, a little mad that he woke her up after she just fell asleep. Jonathan just nodded towards Rick's cot and she turned her attention there. The second she saw Rick smiling over at her, Evelyn was on her feet, to his cot, and had him in her arms.  
  
"Ow, Evie, that hurts." he moaned. Her squeezing him wasn't helping his sore mucles in the least.  
  
"I'm sorry." she told him, lossening her death grip a bit,"I'm just so happy you're okay."  
  
"I'll leave you two alone." Jonathan said, standing and walking out of the tent. Neither of them even noticed.  
  
After untangling himself from Evelyn a bit, Rick tryed to sit up. Pain tore through him and he had to bite his bottom lip to keep from yelling out. He couldn't quite sit all the way up.  
  
Evelyn pushed him back down,"You need your rest, you're still weak." she said softly.  
  
Rick groaned,"Please say you're not going to start babying me. Evie, I'm a grown man, I can sit up like a big boy."   
  
"I don't care, Rick, you're hurt and you're staying right there."  
  
"Evelyn, I'm fine." he assured  
  
"You need more sleep, you--"  
  
"Evie!" Rick cut her off,"I'm *okay*... I need to talk to you, and this angle isnt working."   
  
"We'll talk when you're stronger."  
  
"No, I need to talk to you now. I've put it off for to long already." Rick insisted, and struggled to sit. This time he made it up.  
  
Evelyn saw how serious he was about needing to talk to her. She needed to talk to him, too. She reached over and proped his pellows up.  
  
Rick collapsed back against the pellows so he could sit up, but still have support,"Thank you."  
  
She nodded slowly,"I suppose we do need to talk."  
  
"I miss you." Rick told her softly,"It kills me every day, knowing I left you like that. I... I over reacted, and we bolth suffered, and I'm sorry."  
  
Evelyn looked away from him, not being able to bare the hurt in his eyes,"I shouldn't take you back, you know..."  
  
"I know, I don't deserve it."  
  
"But you know I will anyway." she turned back to him,"I need you, Rick. I'm not complete without you."   
  
Rick took her hand gently in his own as relife surged through him,"I feel the same way about you."  
  
She gave him a small smile, feeling her heart melt at his tender touch,"Besides, I can't fully blame you. I avoided you. Even the first time I saw you I knew there was something between us. With everything that happened at Hamanaptra, that feeling grew stronger until I knew I was in love with you. When we got back, I was scared you wouldn't feel the same way about me and I would get hurt. It just hurt more when you left because it was me who caused it."  
  
"Don't think like that." he reached his arms out for her to come into, welcoming the pain that came along with the pleasure of being able to hold her agian. "I love you." he wispered.  
  
"I love you, too." she mummbled, raising her head and kissing his lips. He kissed her back, pulling her closer to him. They kissed deeply, as if searching for something within each other. And as an overwhelming feeling of joy and completion spread through the bolth of them, they knew they had found it.  
  
Bolth of them pulled back, slightly panting and flushed. Evelyn rested her head on his bare chest, she could feel one of the bandages wraped around him agianst her cheek and fresh tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"Evie, what's wrong?" Rick saw that she was trying not to cry.  
  
"I thought I was going to loose you agian. Oh Rick, I was so scared. You almost died. I don't know what I would have done if Ardeth hadn't had us bring you to the Med-jai camp."  
  
'So that's where we are.' he thought to himself, rubbing Evelyns back lightly,"Hey, I always make it don't I?"  
  
"I guess so." Evelyn grinned up at him  
  
Rick claimed her lips with his own agian, loving the sweetness of being so close to her. He broke the kiss and brushed a strand of hair off of her forehead. "Evelyn, will you--"  
  
Rick was stoped mid sentence as Ardeth walked into the tent. "O'connell, it is good to see you're up."   
  
"Ardeth, thank you for the help."  
  
"Anything for a friend. You have helped to defeat the creature twice. Me and my people owe you a great deal."  
  
"But you did your part in helping too, more then I did the second time." Rick said.   
  
"You still risked your life in order to stop He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. More then most men would do... The children are already arguing over who get's to be O'connell in their games. They're asking to see you to talk to the hero."  
  
That made Rick and Evie laugh a little.  
  
"I wouldn't mind seeing them. Before I leave anyway, I'm still a little sore right now." Rick shifted a bit, Evie still in his arms.  
  
"That's what I expected. When you are ready to go, a couple of my men will escort you back to Cairo... The doctor says you should be able to be on your feet in two days." Ardeth started to back out of the tent,"I will leave you for now. See you in a while." he disapeared out of sight.  
  
Evelyn regretfully pulled herself away from Rick's loving grasp stared down at him,"Alright, we've talked now, you need your sleep."  
  
"How did I know this was going to come up agian?" he reached his hand out,"Come back here."  
  
She grabed her bag off the ground, knowing that there was no way she was going to get Rick to rest. Evelyn snuggled back down next to him and opened the bag. She got out a canteen that was about half full and handed it to him. As the canteen came out, a little box fell out, too. They bolth looked down and saw it was the ring case Rick had given her before he left. Evelyn had forgot that she had thrown it into her bag in hopes Rick hadn't seen her looking at it the other day.  
  
He was the first one to move. He ever so slowly picked it up, setting it in the palm of his hand. Rick looked deep into her eyes,"I belive this belongs to you."  
  
Evelyn shook her head,"You bought it, it's yours."  
  
"You'll just end up with it anyway...... That is if you say yes."  
  
Evelyn was shocked. She knew what he was talking about, but she needed to hear the words,"Say yes to what?"  
  
Rick sighed heavily, trying to just say it straight out. "Evelyn, I want to spend the rest of my life with you... marry me?"  
  
"Oh, yes Rick! A million times yes!" she wraped her arms around his neck and hugged him.  
  
Jonathan had walked in right as Rick had asked Evie to marry him. He smiled when Evelyn said yes, and groaned when they started kissing each other. "As much as I like to see you two together agian, I do hope that there wont be to much of that going on now."  
  
Rick pulled away from the kiss, laughing,"Oh there will be, Jonathan." he told his future brother-in-law, but still had his eyes locked with Evie's.  
  
"Well never mind then, I was coming in to see how you were doing." Jonathan babbled then made a quick exit.  
  
Rick and Evelyn kept their eyes locked with one anothers for a long while until he moved her closer to him. Evelyn placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes. They bolth fell into a peaceful sleep, holding each other and dreaming about the wonderful life they had ahead of them. A life filled with happiness, joy, and unconditional love.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
